Arabic Language Essentials
Arabic is the official language in Saudi Arabia. There are many Arabic dialects among the various Arab nations, but the written and spoken form of Modern Standard Arabic unites them all. Modern Standard Arabic is the language used in books, media, politics and formal communications between people. In some formal settings, people may choose to speak it among each other but more often than not, they use their own native dialect, usually comprehensible to all except foreigners.
Thankfully, you can communicate anywhere in the Arab world with the help of Modern Standard Arabic.
A note, however, on the use of the apostrophe in some of the words below: An apostrophe (’) before or after a vowel indicates the letter ‘ayn. The 'ayn is what’s called a ‘voiced pharyngeal fricative’, a deep guttural sound that has no European equivalent. It's entirely possible to ignore it, but just in case you've heard it and want to use it, it's indicated below.
Finally, if you add ‘al’ before any of the nouns listed below, you’re just adding the definite article ‘the’. So that’s always an option!
Meeting People
Muslim greeting (hello)|assalam ‘alaikum**
Reply to greeting|wa ‘alaikum assalam**
Hello|marhaba**
What’s your name?|ma ismuka (m)/ ma ismuki (f)?**How are you?|keef halak (m) / keef halek? (f)**
Fine, thank you|tamam, shukran**
Pleased to meet you|tasharrafna**
Where are you from?|min ayn inta? (m)/ min ayn inti (f)?**
I’m from …|ana min …**
Yes|aywah**
No|la**
OK|tayyeb**
Thank you|shukran**
Wait a moment|lah tha shwayya**
Excuse me|lau samaht (m) / lau samahti (f)**
Please|min fad lak (m) / min fad lek (f)**
Finished|khallast**
Good|kuwayes**
Not good|moo kuwayes**
I’m sorry|ana asef (m) / ana asfa (f)**
Welcome|ahlan wa sahlan**
Good bye|ma’ is salaama**
Good morning|sabah al khair**
Good evening|masa al khair**
Good night|tesbah ‘ala khair**
Shopping
Where can I buy…?|Wayn mumkin ashtari…?**
How much?|Be kam?**
That’s too expensive.|Ghalli katheer.**
Can you wrap it?|Mumkin tlefha?**
I’ll buy it.|Abgha ashtari.**
Do you have a smaller size?|Fee azghar?**
Do you have a larger size?|Fee akbar?**
Is there another colour?|Fee lawn thani?**
Questions
Who?|meen?**
Why?|laysh?**
What?|shoo?**
How?|kayf?**
When?|mata?**
Which?|ayya?**
Where?|ayna?**
Getting Help
Can you help me?|mumkin tsa’idny?**
Do you speak English?|tet kallam ingleezi?**
Where am I?|ayna ana?**
I’ve lost my…|dayya'at...**
Where is…?|ayna al…?**
I need…|ana bihaja li...**
Things
hospital|mustashfa**
hotel|foondoq**
airport|mataar**
bag|shanta**
purse|jizdan**
gift/s|hidiya/hadaya**
money|feloos**
water|moya**
milk|haleeb**
coffee|qahwah**
tea|shai**
airplane|tayyara**
car|sayyara**
places|amaken**
restaurant|mat’am**
desert|sahra**
beach|bahar**
road/street|shari’**
mall/shopping|souk**
Adjectives
big|kabeer**
small|sagheer**
medium|wasat**
round|mudawar**
square|murraba'**
far|ba'eed**
near|qareeb**
beautiful|jameel**
Directions
straight|seeda**
left|yasar**
right|yameen**
Stop!|qif**
Numbers
number/s|raqam/arqam**
zero|sifr (aka cipher)**
one|waahad**
two|ith nayn**
three|thalatha**
four|arba’a**
five|khamsa**
six|sitta**
seven|saba’a**
eight|thamanya**
nine|tiss’a**
ten|ashara**
twenty|‘ishreen**
thirty|thalatheen**
forty|arba’een**
fifty|khamseen**
sixty|sitteen**
seventy|saba’een**
eighty|thamaneen**
ninety|tis’een**
hundred|miyya**
thousand|alf**
